Using a JTAC with the current F16 release....

[Spirit X]

Thought I'd ask here before going through the process of making a mission for it as I'm not sure it will work.

 

I want to do a JTAC mission with a TGP and a few CBU-97s. But importantly, NO laser guided bombs.

 

I was thinking that if I have the TGP and get JTAC to lase the target, the TGP will then lock on to the laser and I can go into 'point track', marking that exact location for my CCRP cluster bomb run.

 

However, not sure if I understand the TGP very well yet so wondered if anyone can tell me whether or not this will actually work or not?

 

I want to avoid creating a waypoint right on the target and would like to see if I can make the JTAC useful even when you don't have GBUs.

 

And by the way what exactly can you do with the JTAC MGRS calls in the Viper? As far as I can tell we can only use Long/ Lat on the Steerpoint DED page can't we?

 

Thanks for any help.

[Frederf]

You can use such calls in a TF-51D if you have facility with a paper map and can convert coordinates into visual references. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the pilot to understand the location described and all that requires is a brain and a map and eye balls.

 

As a labor-saving tip: write down the MGRS location, find that location on the F10 map, switch coordinate formats using the keybind, then see what the coordinates for your cursor are in that new format. This allows the F10 map to act as a coordinate format converter.

[Spirit X]

Appreciate the advice for sure but I'm looking to make a fun misison where everything can be done in the pit. In this respect I kind of consider the F10 map a bit cheaty (although yeah, I'm sure most pilots would probably have a map stashed somewhere in the pit just in case...).

 

I was wondering if the F16 itself contains any facility I'm not aware of that would allow the MGRS coords to be of use.

[Bonzo0181]

Disclaimer: I have no clue on how the AI JTAC works (if there even is one in vanilla...).

 

 

It seems that you want to use laser spot search (LSS) to acquire the JTAC's laser. This works just fine at the moment with a human JTAC or buddy lase (unsure of AI). Chuck Owl released his guide on the F-16 recently, which covers the LSS mode as well: https://www.mudspike.com/wp-content/uploads/guides/DCS%20F-16C%20Viper%20Guide.pdf Page 229

You do need a general "about there, near that lake" type of target location for this to work, since the TGP has to be able to spot the laser, of course.

[Spirit X]

Well, I tried building it last night and can confirm that it works (with no scripts needed). Or at least it worked with a JTAC vehicle on the ground with no issues. LSS locks on fine provided you have entered the correct laser code, and you can then TMS up for point track and use that point even if you don't have laser guided munitions. Note that from my test it seems that you have to be in CCRP for the LSS to activate. In CCIP it seems to do nothing and will not find the JTAC laze.

 

However, when I tried the same thing with a Predator drone, it wouldn't laze. No idea why, I had it circling directly over the target and it was set to 'Laser' in the designation options but it would just mark the target with WP and no laser. Could be I just did something wrong or there's something you need to do with the Predator in the mission editor that I'm not aware of.

 

For the time being though this is potentially useful way to build ground attack missions without having to have waypoints directly over the targets.